Former studies proposed that the speciation of the subgenus Paraphlebotomus happened in the Neogene Epoch in the circum-Mediterranean region due to the geographical segregation effect of the former Paratethys Sea. It was aimed to study whether the modelled Neogene ranges of Phlebotomus sergenti and Phlebotomus similis support or contradict this barrier role of the Paratethys in the speciation of Paraphlebotomus sandfly. For this purpose, the potential Neogene geographical ranges of Phlebotomus sergenti and Phlebotomus similis were modelled based on the present climatic requirements of the taxa. The Miocene models do not support the circum-Paratethyan migration of the ancestor of Phlebotomus similis. In general, Phlebotomus similis shows a low affinity to the North Paratethyan shorelines during the entire Miocene epoch. The only exceptions are the Tortonian and early Messinian periods when the climatic conditions could be suitable for Phlebotomus similis in the North Paratethyan shorelines. It was found that neither the modelled late Miocene, Pliocene nor the mid-Pleistocene period distributions of Phlebotomus sergenti and Phlebotomus similis shows notable differences in the suitability values in the Balkans and the Middle East. It is most plausible that the divergence of the Phlebotomus similis and its relatives was related to the tectonic subsidence of the Hellene Orogenic Belt and Phlebotomus similis specialised in the Balkan Peninsula and the present-day North Pontic area during the middle-late Miocene epoch. The Messinian desiccations of the Mediterranean Basin and the Zanclean re-flood caused the migration, but not the speciation of Phlebotomus similis and its sister taxa.

前人的研究提出，由于前帕拉提提斯海的地理隔离效应，Paraplebotomus亚属的物种形成发生在环绕地中海地区的新近纪时期。其目的是研究新近纪新近纪范围内的Phlebotomus sergenti和Phlebotomus similis 是否支持或反对 Paratethys 在Paraphlebotomus sandfly物种形成中的这种屏障作用。为此，根据分类群目前的气候要求，对Phlebotomus sergenti和Phlebotomus similis的潜在新近纪地理范围进行了建模。中新世模型不支持类似静脉血。一般来说，在整个中新世时期，Phlebotomus similis对北帕拉提亚海岸线的亲和力较低。唯一的例外是托尔托尼阶和早期的墨西拿时期，当时气候条件可能适合北帕拉提亚海岸线的类似Phlebotomus similis。结果发现，无论是模拟的晚中新世、上新世还是中更新世时期分布的Phlebotomus sergenti和Phlebotomus similis，在巴尔干地区和中东的适宜性值都没有显着差异。最有可能的是Phlebotomus similis的分歧及其近缘关系与中新世中晚期的希腊造山带和特化于巴尔干半岛和今北海桥地区的类似Phlebotomus similis的构造沉降有关。地中海盆地的墨西拿干燥和 Zanclean 重新洪水导致迁移，但不是Phlebotomus similis及其姊妹类群的物种形成。